Trump says he’ll nominate Barr for attorney general

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he will nominate William Barr, former President George H.W. Bush’s attorney general, to serve in the same role.

Trump made the announcement while departing the White House for a trip to Missouri Friday.

Trump says that Barr is “a terrific man” and “one of the most respected jurists in the country” and says, “I think he will serve with great distinction.”

He also says Barr was his “first choice from Day One.”

If confirmed by the Senate, Barr would succeed Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who was forced out by Trump in November. Sessions’ chief of staff, Matthew Whitaker, is currently serving as acting attorney general.

President Trump also says he’ll nominate State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert to be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

Nauert is to replace Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor who announced in October that she would step down as ambassador at the end of this year.

Nauert is a former Fox News Channel reporter who had little foreign policy experience before becoming State Department spokeswoman. If confirmed by the Senate, she would be a leading administration voice on Trump’s foreign policy.

Trump made the announcement to reporters Friday as he departed the White House for a trip to Kansas City.